The present invention generally relates to the field of connectors, and particularly to electrical connectors.
Data transmission is one of the most important aspects in modern life. With the increase in processor speeds and devices that are able to perform their functions in an increasingly faster manner, the transmission of the resulting information must be transmitted even faster to realize these advances. For example, currently, round wire conductor (RWC) is used which does not allow the density needed for very high-density cable interconnect (VHDCI) and other very high density connects on cabling for I/O data applications. This is because center to center spacing and wire size plus impedance controls are currently being utilized at the limit of practical usage in a commercial environment.
Further, current connectors using insulation displacement, such as an insulation displacement connector (IDC), do not apply in or are used with a vertically paired flat conductor ribbon cable. Thus, connectors are limited to the old methods of center to center spacing, which can not achieve the connector IDC density needed for connector spacing in the middle of ribbon cable connectors. For example, utilizing previous methods 0.8 mm connector spacing in the middle of ribbon cable connectors was not achievable. Therefore, there exists a need for an easy to use electrical connector suitable for providing increased connector density.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an electrical connector. In a first aspect of the present invention, an electrical connector includes an array of connector pins. At least one connector pin of the array of pins includes a tip suitable for slicing through insulation covering a flat conductor of an electrical cable, thereby enabling the connector pin to contact the flat conductor of the electrical cable.
In a second aspect of the present invention, an electrical connector includes a connector pin suitable for making contact on a side of at least one of a first flat conductor surrounded by an insulator and a second flat conductor surrounded by an insulator. The first flat conductor and the second flat conductor are spaced to form an electrical differential pair.
In a third aspect of the present invention, an electrical connector suitable for use with an electrical cable includes a connector pin suitable for making contact with at least one of a first pair of electrical conductor and a second pair of electrical conductors. A first pair of electrical conductors include a first flat conductor surrounded by an insulator and a second flat conduct surrounded by an insulator, wherein the first flat conductor and the second flat conductor are spaced to form an electrical differential pair. A second pair of electrical conductors includes a third flat conductor surrounded by an insulator and a fourth flat conductor surrounded by an insulator. The third flat conductor and the forth flat conductor are spaced to form an electrical differential pair. A spacer is disposed between the first pair of electrical conductors and the second pair of electrical conductors, the spacer is formed to isolate an electromagnetic field from the first pair of electrical conductors from an electromagnetic field from the second pair of electrical conductors.
It is to be understood that both the forgoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the general description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.